Seaming-machine.



F. E. ADAMS.

SEAMING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED rB.24, 191s.

Patented Feio, 1914n 4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

7? A TTY P. E. ADAMS.

SBAMING MACHINE.

APPLIGATION FILED rEB.24, 1913,

1,087,059.. Patented Feb.1o, 1914.

HG /d/ 4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

coLulAllA WIA?" C0.,WA5MIMTON. D. c,

P. E. ADAMS.

SEAMING MACHINE.

APPLIGATIONHLED PBB.24,1913.

Patented Feb. 10, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3 COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co.. wAsHlNGToN, D. c.

I'. E. ADAMS.

SEAMING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED rEB.24, 1913.

Patented Feb. 10, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

CDLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co.. WASHINGTON. D. C.

FRANK E. ADAMS, OF BROMBOROUGH, ENGLAND.

SEAMING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 10,1914.

Application filed February 24, 1913. Serial No. 750,341.

To all whom it may concern Bc it known that I, FRANK EDWARD ADAMS, a subject of the King of England, residing at Dell Cottage, Bromborough, in the county of Chester, England, have invented new and useful Improvel'nents in Seaming- Machines, of which the following is a specication.

This invention has reference to machinery for joining together the different parts of sheet metal boxes or like articles, and has for its object, primarily, to provide improvements by which this can be done rapidly, and at the same time accurately, and well.

The class of machine to which the invention is primarily related or directed, is that which is adapted to join together the parts of. sheet metal boxes or hollow ware, where the general form of the article is that of a polysided figure, or form other than circular; at the same time it is also well adapted, and can be advantageously used in connection with the manufacture or joining together of the parts of hollow-ware articles, which are of cylindrical form.

The invention will be described with the aid of the accompanying drawings which show a machine con'lprising the improvements hereunder, the machine shown being one adapted for joining together the parts of metal or hollow-ware articles, polysided in general form.

ln the drawings, Figures 1 and 1a show a longitudinal elevation of the machine, and Fig. Q an end view, and Fig. 3 a view of the headstock shown in Fig. Q viewed in the opposite direction.

ln the machine there are two sets of chucks 1, on the ends of the spindles 3, for holding and driving the parts of the articles toibo operated upon, and connected together; and assuming the article to be a sheet metal box or canister in which the two ends are to be fastened or seamed to the body, these chucks 1 will hold the ends and the body together and revolve them, while being operated upon by tools in the machine. ln connection with each of the chucks 1 and spindles 3, (which chuck will fit within say a dished end of the box to be joined to the body), there is a cam 2, which operates upon a roller 4l, carried on a vibratory lever or arm 5; and this lever or arm 5, operates an arm or lever 6, carrying the tools 7 which act upon the metal of the article to be formed, and which preferably are of roller form; and the cams 2 are of a complementary shape to the movements which the tools 7 are required to go through in acting on the boX parts; and theythe cams-revolve with the chucks 1, so that the tools 7 are caused to act upon the edges of the parts to be joined, in such a manner that the e'ect of their action at all points or parts of the perimeter of the article, is practically uniform throughout the revolution. In the case shown, the chucks 1 are square, and adapted to take a right-angled article having four equal sides; the cams Q being of the contour complementary to this form of chuck and article.

The arm or lever 5 upon which the cam 2 acts, is supported on a fulcrum 8, which is movable in relation to the vertical longitudinal plane of the machine. In the arrangement and construction of parts shown5 this fulcrum 8 is mounted on a lever or arm E), suspended from a pivot or support 10; and thus by operating this lever 9, the fulcrum 8 will be moved in one direction or the other, and by this means the pressure and action of each operating tool 7-the carrying arm or lever 6 of which is connected to the lever 5, by a tie-rod t-is controlled, and is also put in and out of action. These actions and effects are automatically effected by a cam mechanism 11 and 11a, which operates on the movable suspended arm 50, z'. e. a roller 50"1 on it, which is connected by a rod 51 with the lower end of the fulcrum carrying lever or arm 9. In the machine shown, the two portions 11, 11a of the cam are side by side, on their carrying shaft, one part 11 of which will set on the roller 50a, Fig. 3, on the arm 50, when a portion of the work is being performed on the canister, and the other part 11a when the other portion is being performed. This double cam, and the two operations will only be employed in cases where two operations are required to effect the joining of the parts of the boX. Making the cam in two parts, enables the two parts to be adjusted in relation to each other, so as to get the movements and actions required; but, if desired, the cam may be in one piece, having the general contour of the two shown in one. As a further object and effect of the movable fulcrum 8 of the cam operating lever 5, different pres-- sures and degrees of action, and different positions of the seaming tools T in relation to the edges of the parts to be seamed together, can be obtained; namely, for some operations each tool will be nearer to the axis of the chuck, while in others, it will be farther from it. These cams will revolve much slower or a fewer number of revolutions in a given time than the chucks 1; so that several revolutions of the article to be made will take place while it is being acted on by the tools 7 under the influence of the cams.

The operating` tool carrier arm or part (3, which is supported on the spindle 1Q, is a rigid arm, having a wide base, as seen in Figs. 1 and 4; and the spindle 12, has in connection with it, means for shifting it and the tool arm or lever (3, which is tixed to it, longitudinally, for bringing into action the different parts of the tools 7, or different tools, where more than one is required to act upon the parts to be joined together in a sequence of operations. For instance, for joining or seaming together the ends and bodies of boxes, the tools T may have a curling grooved portion, and a closing grooved portion, and the latter will come into operation, of course, after thc former. For effecting this shifting of the spindle 12, a cam 211 is used on the cam shaft 37, and it acts on a lever 138 which acts on a bell crank 3S) mounted on the slide 35, one end of which acts on the end of the spindle 12, and moves it longitudinally; the cam 3-1 being so shaped as to move the spindle 12 and tool arms t at the required moment. This shifting mechanism is used in connection with each headstock 3G,

The axes 0f the chuck spindles 3, and the chucks 1, in this machine are coincident and horizontal; and the tools t are on one side of these axes, and in or about the same horizontal plane. The two chucks 1 and the cams 2 with their operating parts connected with them are mounted on separate carrier parts or headstocks 3o, and one at least, or a part on one at least of whiehin the case shown the part 35, which is in the form of a bracketed plate, and is hereinafter described-is adapted to slide longitudinally to and fro prior to, and subsequent to, the seaming or joining action, so that these two chucks and their carrier parts, have movement in relation to cach other. The movement longitmlinallyY ot' this part 35 of one of the headstocks 3G, is for the purpose of clamping and holding the work in position between the two clutches, and freeing it from them after it has been operated on; and this longitudinal movement of the sliding partl 35 is effected by the foot treadle 1T through the following mechanism: On one end of the treadle 17 there is a bar rod 4() which extends uo and is connected to one l l l end of a lever 55 on the left hand headstock 3G; and this lever acts at its other end on a roller 5T on a bell crank lever 5T the fulerum of which is supported from the headstock 3G, and the upper arm of which acts through a spring 58 on one end ofthe sliding plate device 35, carrying the chuck spindle The plate device 35 itself carried at its lower edge on ball bearings (32, in a race in the bottom of the headstock 3G; while its upper end works in a way or guide 5f) at the upper part of the headstock SG. Both the shaft 12 carrying the lever (3, and the spindle 10 carrying the arms 9 of this left hand headstock, are carried from the plate device 35, see Fig. 3; the shaft 12 being earried by a bracket (50 on one side of the plate 35, and the spindle 10 being carried by bracket 61 on the opposite side of the plate.

lvlith regard to the general action of the machine, power is applied to it by a shaft 18 which is continuously revolved; and motion from this shaft is transmitted by belt gearing hereinafter described, to a shaft 1-1, mounted in bearings supported or carried on the headstocks 36, the motion of the shaft 11 being intermittent, that is alternately set in action and stopped by the belt driving gear referred to, and motion from the shaft 1/-1 to the chuck spindles 3, is transn'iitted to them by two gear wheels 15, one of which is on the shaft 14, and the other on the spindles 3. Hence they receive the intermittent action transmitted by the shaft 11. The cam shaft 3T is also driven from the shaft 141-, and will receive, likewise, an intermittent action; but it is revolved at a slower speed than the chuck spindles 3, by a train of gear wheels 16, Fi 1, between these shafts 11 and 3T. For instance, the shaft 37 and the cams on it, will be revolved at say from a sixth to a tenth the speed of the chuck spindles 3.

The method of putting pressure on and taking it off the parts to be joined by means of this gearing and cams is as follows The unseamed box parts having been placed on the chucks 1, and held, by sliding the plate device 35 as described, the chuck spindles 2 revolved, and the pressure and tool operating cams 11 and 11a set in action by the gear, then by the rotation of the cams 11 and 11, the levers 50 and connecting rods 51, will be operated, and pressure is so applied to the fulcrums carrying the levers or arms 5P, by which motion, pressure is put upon the lower ends of the arms, or levers 5, that is, they are pressed outward; the opposite ends of these levers-e1 c. the rollers -l on them-*resting on the cams 2. rlhe effect of this is, that the tools 7, on the vibrating arm carriers (3, will be moved on to the can seams which lie on the peripheries of the chucks 1, and cause them to press upon the seams with the requisite degree of pressure, which as stated, is created by the cams. By the simultaneous rotation of the chucks 1 and cams 2, this pressure will be maintained upon the whole perimeter of the seam, as the revolution takes place; and as stated, the chucks 1 and box will make a number of revolutions, say three or four, while the pressure is maintained, and the cams 11 are acting on the levers 50, and the parts operated by them, to maintain this pressure; and in the case where there are two seaming or joining operations of the tools 7 on the article being made, there will be two movements of this gear, namely, the levers 50, fulcrum carrying arms 9, and parts operated by them, one for the first seaming action and one for the second; and one part 11 of the cam will be for effecting one action, and the other part 112I for the other. The depressions or recesses in the cam parts 11 and 11EL between the rises or active parts, will cause the tools 7 to move back from 0H the canisters at the required moments, the moving off of the tools 7 being effected by springs 55' connected with the arms or levers G.

lVith regard to the pulley and belt gearing above referred to, for setting in motion, and stopping, the shaft 14 and spindles 8 and parts driven from them, the putting of this gearing in action, is effected by a depression of the treadle 17, and it takes place immediately after the longitudinal movement of one of the chucks 7 carried by the movable plate carrier 35. The depression of the treadle moves upward a rod 32 on its end, which has on it a spring held tappet device 38, which acts on a rod 18 and puts it out of engagement with a lever 19, which acts on a projection 20 on this rod; the lever itself being operated by a cam 26 on the cam shaft 37, and the action of which on the rod 18, is transmitted to a jockey pulley 24 carried on a bell crank lever 23, through a lever 21, and connecting rod 22; the lever 21 being directly connected to the rod 18. When the treadle 17 is up, the condition of parts is, that the rod 18 will be down, and the projection 20 thereon will be against the active, namely, the lower end of this lever 19, as shown, which is provided with a projecting tappet or nose; the lever 19 having been moved to the dotted position by the cam 20 in the previous action; in which position the lever 21 will have been moved over to the dotted position shown, and the jockey pulley 24 will be out away from the belt 25, and so motion from the shaft 18 will not be transmitted to the shaft 14 and gear, and all the parts will be at rest, except the shaft 1?). Then, to set in action the parts (including the movement of the bracket plate 35 in the headstock 36) the lever 17 is depressed at the front end, and this lifts the rod on it, which through the spring supported tappct 33, lifts the rod 18, and thereby takes the part 20 from out of contact with the active nose or tappet of the lower end of the lever 19, whereupon, the rod 18 will be moved by a weighted arm 27 on the spindle 28, carrying the lever 21, from its outer position, to that shown in full lines; and it will thereby pull the lever 21, and press the jockey pulley 24 on to the belt 25, and make it tight on the two pulleys 29 and 3() on thc shafts 13 and 14 respectively, and so will set the machine in action. But simultaneously, with this, a brake-block 31, having its spindle 47 guided in a socket piece 41 supported by an arm 41a (Fig. 1) projecting from the headstock 36, which formerly was in contact with the pulley 30, will have been moved down, and out of contact with this pulley, by the movement of the spindle 28, which has on it an arm 42, connected with the brake block 31 through a connecting rod 44, lever 45, and pendant carrier link 46, in the lower end of which the spindle 47 of the brake block 31 rests. Then the rod 18 Ais moved out, on the other hand, by the lever 19, the brake block 31 will be pressed upward on to the pulley 50 and stop and hold it, and the other gear. yThis outward movement of rod 18 is effected by the action of cam 26 on the roller 19a of lever 19, which roller, during the operation or working cycle of the machine, is opposite the low or cut away portion of the cam. The foot lever 17 tends to remain normally in an elevated position by reason of the excessive weight of its rear end and connected parts, and after its front has been depressed to start the machine it is held in its depressed position by a bell crank lever ($8 which has a pawl or projection G4 engaging a lug or projection on the rod 1f the cam 48 be held stationary, the lever (33 will be held in the position shown in full lines, and the rod 32 retained in its elcvated position until it` is released by the action of the tappet or projection 52 on shaft 37 which presses back the rod 32 suffieiently to disengage its lug from the projection (i4, it being understood that the rod 32 is sufficientlyresilient to enable this backward movement.

lVith regard to the mode of clamping the parts of the box in the machine, namely, by arranging one of the chucks 1 and cam spindles 3, together with the vibrating levers or arms 5 and 6, and parts above described, on a movable headstock or slide, so that they all move together, small variations in length of the boxes or articles being operated upon, does not interfere with the proper working of the machine, or effective work being turned out. That is to say, whatever the length of the body of the box or article when it is clamped between the chucks 1, the seaming tools or rollers 7 are always in the same position in relation to the flanges or parts to be operated upon by Cit it. Or, in other Words, Whether the box body be longer or shorter, the tools and parts Which are moved, are alvvays relatively in the same position. As above described, this movement of the headstock or slide 35 with its parts, effected by means of the treadle 17, the parts connected With vv .ich and operated by it, being so arranged, that when the treadlc has been moved a certain distance, the box parts are clamped in position, after which, by the further pressure and movement of the treadle, the starting and driving belt is caused to be tightened in the manner referred to, and the seaming or jointing actions are set in operation. This manually operated mode of operating or controlling the action of the machine, is more applicable to machines for making larger boxes or other articles, but vvhen machines are designed and constructed for making small boxes or articles, one of the clamping chuck cams and parts, or the headstocks carrying them, is arranged and adapted to move to and fro automatically, and the other operations of the machines to be effected automatically at fixed periods in the cycle of operations of the n'iachine, and Without the use of the treadle or other manually operated mechanism for effecting it. This automatic action may be performed by mounting the cam 48 on a shaft 49 driven by means of gearing shown conventionally at 69 (Fig. la) from shaft 68. It will be understood that any suitable clutch means may be provided by which cam 48 may be held stationary when the machine is to be controlled from pedal or foot lever 17, or clutched to the shaft when the intermittent automatic movement is desired, but as such means is common in the art and forms no part of the present invention, illustration thereof is deemed unnecessary.

ln action, at the time vvhen it is required to start or set in action the various parts or mechanism of the machine. the cam 1S being thrown into action will lift the trigger lifting device G3. the effect of which is, that the rod 32 vvill be lifted, and so rod 1S freed from the trigger on the lever 19, vv'ith the effect above described; and this will continue, luntil a projection 52 on the shaft 3T comes into operation. and strikes the rod 3Q at its upper end, and so presses the projection resting on the trigger (it from ott' it, allowing the rod B2 to fall suddenly; the action of Vwhich is the same as that described previously in connection with the foot method of operating. lVhen the cam 48 is revolved a certain degree, the flattened part of it will come next the roller on the lever 6?. and so allow this lever to fall into the position in which, as shovvn, in the dotted lines, it can reengage the projection on the rod 32, after which, the larger diameter or part of the cam 4S comes again into action. Shaft 68 may be driven by belt G6 and reversely stepped pulleys and G7.

In the machine shown, the foot operated arrangement and the automatic arrangement are combined in the one machine, so that they can be used alternatel g but machines may be constructed and adapted to work by the one method or the other.

By the arrangement of the arms or levers 5, and the tool arms or carriers G, on the opposite sides of the axis of the chucks l and cams 2, and connecting them, and Working the one from the other, machines of the kind referred to are rendered capable of being operated at relatively high speed Without setting up self-destructive vibration.

lVhat is claimed is :h

l. In a machine for seaming or fastening together parts of thin metal articles, a headstock carrying a spindle having a chuck and a Vfam upon same; a pivoted arm or lever carrying an operating tool on one side of the said spindle; a pivoted arm or lever on the opposite side of the said spindle, and operated upon by the said cam; means connecting together the said levers or arms so that they operate synchronously, and a cam means for moving the arm or part which is operated upon by the cam on the headstock spindle, and for moving the tool arm or lever, toward and away from one another; substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. ln a machine for seaming or fastening together parts of sheet or thin metal articlcs, the combination of headstocks movable relatively in a longitudinal direction; spindles and chucks carried by the headstocks; and tool carrying vibrating arms or levers adapted to be moved longitudinally in relation to the headstocks and work to be operated upon; substantially as set forth.

3, In a machine for seaming or fastening together parts of sheet or thin metal articles, the combination of a plurality of headstocks, chuck spindles carried by the headstocks; tools for operating upon the parts of the article or Work to be joined; vibrating arms mounted on said headstocks, and ari-ying thc said tools, the arms being adapted to be moved longitudinally in relation to the hcadstocks: a general cam shaft; a cam mechanism on the general cam shaft for effecting said longitudinal movement; a slide or part in one of the headstocks which serves for carrying one of the chuck spindles, and is adapted to move longitudinally in said headstock; mechanism for effecting the longitudinal movement of the slide; a continuously revolved shaft; an intermittently operated shaft; a belt driving mechanism adapted to impart motion to the intermittently operated shaft from the continuously revolved shaft; gearing connecting the intermittently operated shaft With the chuck spindles; and means connected with said mechanism and operated thereby and adapted to put in action the belt driving mechanism, for operating from the constantly revolved shaft the intermittently operated shaft geared with said chuck spindles, and the general cam shaft of the machine; substantially as set forth.

4l. ln a machine for seaming or fastening together parts of sheet or thin metal articles, the combination of horizontally arranged headstocks; chuck spindles mounted in the headstocks; a shaft carried on said headstocks; gearing connecting the spindles and shaft; a continuous running shaft and pulley; a belt` or the like connecting the continuous running shaft with he shaft carried on the headstocks; a movable `iockey pulley; mechanism for operating the jockey pulley, comprising starting gear, and a cam driven from said continuously running shaft; the jockey pulley being adapted to be moved on to and away from the belt, so as to tighten it and slacken it, for intermittently drivingl the said driven shaft on the headstocks, and stopping same; substantially as set forth.

5. ln a machine for seaming or fastening together parts of sheet or thin metal articles, the combination of headstocks 36; spindles 3, carried by said headstocks; chucks 1 and cams 2 on said spindles; a cam shaft 37; vibrating arms or levers 5, 6, operating in connection with the chucks and cams 2, one of which has its fulcrnm movable; cams 11 and Vlla actuating the arms or levers 5,6; cam shaft 37 carrying the cams l1 and 11a; and an arm or lever carrying said fulcrum, and adapted to be moved to and fro by the cams ll and 11a, on the cam shaft 37; substantially as set forth.

G. In a machine for seaming or fastening together parts of sheet or thin metal articles; the combination of two headstocks movable relatively in a longitudinal direction; spindles and chucks carried by said headstocks; cams on said spindles; tools for operating on the work adapted to be moved longitudinally in relation to the headstocks; sets of operating arms or levers connected together, one of each set of which carries the said tools. and the other of each set of which operates in connection with the cams, and the arms of each set being disposed on opposite sides of the said spindles; treadle mechanism; means connected with and operated by the treadle mechanism to effect the lffngitudinal movement of the arms or levers and one of the said spindles; driving mechanism for rotating the spindles and means connected with the treadle for controlling said driving mechanism; substantially as set forth.

yln testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specilication in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK E. ADAMS. lilitnesses 'llotncnviLLn GoovALL, GEORGE PERGY HOLMES.

Copies o! thil patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

